Sunday, January 31, 2016

My mother's requested a Cattleya Orchid for her funeral. In August, I could find only the smaller, more modest Cymbidium. Today would be her 102 birthday, and this orchid, seen at the Lamberton Conservatory yesterday, reminded me of what I could not give her.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

A shaver on the last board for my upstairs ceiling. College woodworking, where I learned all of life's lessons, taught me how to construct, how to finish, using correct tools, and knowing good design. I had two teachers; I'll never forget them.

Friday, January 29, 2016

One more close up from the encaustic work of Katherine Bevier. I couldn't resist the layers, the overlay of color, and the motifs. When I head to the studio, I'll take a lesson from her work, and translate with thickened dye. Fabric, yes.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

A: When it is work made by Katherine Bevier, whose work in encaustic certainly mimics the improvisational piecing of patchwork, and at times references the medium through titles and imagery, but is all together a different (and exciting) animal. Her show at the Legacy Tower ends tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Well, actually on the UPS truck. I've got nine works on their way to the Lake Metroparks Farmpark 25th Quilt Show in Kirtland, Ohio. I'll check on them, as well as teach March 7- 13. Scope out the show at http://lakemetroparks.com/events/quilts2016.shtml. It runs from February 12 to March 23. Plenty of time to visit.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Decided that the old silkscreen could be risen from the dead. Why not? So, with corner braces, and some new old sheer curtain material, I'm back in business. Did I mention the roll ($9.61!!) it took to duct tape it?

Monday, January 25, 2016

Before my mind completely leaves behind my Florida visit (I'm denying the snow outside here), I wanted to add a pic from last week's walk in the Six Mile Cypress Nature Conservancy. You can see the reflection, feel the warmth. But beside that -- check out the line quality.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

A slice of life from the Naples Botanical Garden. This reflecting pool presents with a random, and pleasing leaf pattern, and the tile work is two-dimensional and graphic. And I did not cut and splice. All I did was frame and shoot. I like to do this with fabric -- butt together and see how one piece affects another.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

I've left the Gulf shore, and am now back home. The nights we sat in that hot spa trying to line up the planets, either side of the moon, are past. Tonight's full moon has me looking out from inside. This is the beach at sunset at Naples. I'm the running kid (in my mind).

Friday, January 22, 2016

I'm safe back home, far from the East Coast's major storm, reflecting on my week in Sarasota. These sketches, to their makers, may seem odd and "unusable", but to my eye, present great possibilities. There's shape, line, contrast, and design to be mined here. Looking back is not a bad thing.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Often, my class is a place to try new ideas, to jumpstart something new, or just to get away for a day. There is fun, but lots to do. I'll be heading home tomorrow to the cold, cold north. I'll take away the warmth I found.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

What a class! With bravery and gusto the women of the Friendship Knot Quilters' Guild take to the design wall and prove their mettle. What fun we had for three days of design. I'll miss the warmth -- of the Florida sun and the gang in Sarasota.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

At last night's show and tell, at the Friendship Knot Quilters' Guild in Sarasota, Ellen Lindler had two wonderful quilts. This very quick shot attests to the much-to-short amount of time to see the work, to check out its brilliance, Oh, how it would be nice to see it hanging properly! Well, such is the monthly quilt meeting.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

At his Florida laboratory in Ft. Myers, Edison sought the key material that would make rubber. His research and development led him to the goldenrod plant. It was my rest and relaxation today that allowed me to visit the museum today. (And you thought this was a stage set.)

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Today was a time to soak up the heat. a visit to the Corkscrew Conservancy and its many swamps was in order. A couple of miles of the board walk, an alligator and its young, and a bittern siting was rejuvenating.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Maybe it's good that I can only bring on two suitcases. Well, I could bring three, but I can't figure how to manage to get them around the airport and to the rental car. Flight to warmer climate tomorrow. Can't wait.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

There is always a rebuild before I present a lecture. I've got it fairly smoothed, and continue to edit. My outtakes are numbering around 150 by now. Which will leave me the 400 slides for the lecture. I don't say "hold on to your seats" for nothing.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Tonight was preview night (this is a shot of my TV screen) for the episode taped this spring with Susan Brubaker Knapp for Quilting Arts TV. The DVD was delivered today. I'm not too bad. Someone did my makeup, and I smiled too broadly, but otherwise, it'll do.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Not much glamor in getting stuff ready for a class. I'll be off to Sarasota in a little more than a week, and looking forward to the workshop "A Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts" with the Friendship Knot Quilters' Guild. Plus, I'm hoping to get a few days of respite from this cold north.

Friday, January 8, 2016

A friend gave me a handful of beautiful white wool, and asked me to experiment with dying it along with my cotton. The feel is absolutely beautiful -- almost like butter. I've tried some presoaking in soda ash with silkscreening. I've more to find out. Tell you later.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

After a stop at the New York Culinary Center in Canandaigua, and a view of the sunset from there, a friend and I took in an exhibition of works by Mark Stash, editor of "Life in the Finger Lakes". You can visit the Wood Library in Canandaigua and see them too. Not all of winter needs to be chilly.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

While trying out my new computer, I came across this image from the European Patchwork Meeting's exhibition of Quilt National 2011. The original show asked us to all put a sleeve on top and bottom, something I never do, but had to comply. Now you see why I don't. This is upside down, and not caught, I reckon. Loads of photos taken, I'm sure.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Ok, it may not be THE SECRET, but I have been washing out the hand-dyed yards five, six, or more times to get a clear rinse water. Time and Money! I stumbled on an online suggestion to leave the fabric in very hot water for a half-hour or beyond. Then to pop in the washing machine. Works great.

Monday, January 4, 2016

While searching for an image of "Pink Leaf 4 (yellow)" I found this. Guess that is how I made this piece. Looks like partly from a large leaf drawing, then improvisationally made background. It was featured in the exhibition, just finished, Fiber Currents / Current Fiber, curated by Judith Plotner.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Noticing movement in the corner of my silk-screen, I removed the tape and screen material. Seems like after staying together for 30 years, it might be time for a do-over. (Or maybe chuck it all and get a new screen.)